Polish Botanical Journal 59(2): 255–261, 2014 DOI: 10.2478/pbj-2014-0031 PERSICARIA NEPALENSIS (POLYGONACEAE), A NEW POTENTIALLY INVASIVE ANTHROPOPHYTE IN THE POLISH FLORA Tomasz Kowalczyk1, Artur Pliszko & Szymon M. Drobniak Abstract. Persicaria nepalensis (L.) Mill. is an annual herb occurring natively in South, East and Southeast Asia, having a range extending from Oceania to East Africa. Here we report the first Polish stand of this species, found in 2011 near Baligród (Western Bieszczady Mountains), followed by the discovery of two more stands in the surrounding area up to 2013. The floristic composition of vegetation impacted by P. nepalensis is presented, and the invasive potential and pathways of introduction of the species are briefly discussed. Key words: alien species, Bieszczady Mts, Carpathians, distribution, Persicaria nepalensis, Poland Tomasz Kowalczyk & Artur Pliszko, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, M. Kopernika 27, Kraków 31-501, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] Szymon M. Drobniak, Institute of Environmental Science, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Kraków 30-387, Poland, and Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland Introduction Persicaria (L.) Mill. (Polygonaceae) is one of the Materials and methods species-richest genera in the alien flora of Europe, especially in the southern part of the continent Persicaria nepalensis was discovered during floristic sur- veys done in 2011–2013 in the Pogórze Leskie foothills (Lambdon et al. 2008). Some of its species are dis- and in the northern part of the Western Bieszczady Mts tant intercontinental introductions, such as P. pen- (Eastern Carpathians). The researched area is bounded sylvanica (L.) M. Gómez transferred from North by the San River to the north, the Osława River to the America (Kubát & Jehlík 2003) and P. capitata west, the road between Rzepedź and Wołkowyja to the (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) H. Gross originating from south, and the western shores of the Solina Reservoir South Asia (Nogueira et al. 2006). to the east (Fig. 1). In each of the three P. nepalensis In Poland the genus Persicaria is represented stands discovered we made a relevé following the Braun- by three anthropophytes. Two of them are con- Blanquet method as modified by Dzwonko (2007). The sidered ephemerophytes [P. bungeana (Turcz.) floristic relevés of the P. nepalensis habitats studied are given in Table 1. Persicaria nepalensis specimens were Nakai, P. orientalis (L.) Spach.]. Persicaria wali- collected from each discovered location. Specimens are chii Greuter & Burdet is classified as an invasive deposited in the Herbarium of the Institute of Botany of kenophyte (Mirek et al. 2002; Bartoszek et al. the Jagiellonian University in Kraków (KRA). 2006; Tokarska-Guzik et al. 2012). During a floristic study in the Western Biesz- Results czady Mountains in 2011 a population of Per- sicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross, a species Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross new both to the Polish flora and to the flora of the Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 49: 277. 1913. – Polygonum nepalense Carpathians, was discovered. Meisn., Monogr. Gen. Polyg.: 84. 1826. Erect, ascending or decumbent annual, 15–50 cm 1 Corresponding author high. Stem usually branched, rooting at lower 256 POLISH BOTANICAL JOURNAL 59(2). 2014 enclosed in perianth (Fig. 2d). Flowering in June– – A 54° – B September. * – C Description follows Qaiser (2001), Li et al. 52° 0 100 m (2003), Hinds and Freeman (2005) and Yasmin (2009), modified following our own observations. 50° Persicaria nepalensis is sometimes confused 1 16° 20° 24° with the closely related P. runcinata (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) H. Gross and P. capitata (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) H. Gross of the same section Cephalo- Jastrabne 3 653* philon, mainly due to their capitate inflorescences and truncate ochreas (Kim & Donoghue 2008; 2 Galasso et al. 2009). ica WyżW na Beree żni general distribution and ecology d aligró 60 B 0 Persicaria nepalensis is a paleotropical species. Its native geographical range span tropical and sub- Fig. 1. Stands of Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross in tropical mountain regions of South, East and South- Poland. A – stands of P. nepalensis, B –raised blind, C – forests. east Asia, reaching Oceania and East Africa. In Asia it has been reported from India, Pakistan, Afghani- nodes, round, glabrous except for whitish glandular stan, Nepal, Bhutan, Ceylon, Thailand, the Philip- trichomes on upper parts of internodes. Leaves pines, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, South alternate, 1.4–5.0 × 1.0–3.0 cm; heterophyllous: Korea and Russia (Qaiser 2001; Li et al. 2003; lower leaves broadly ovate or rhomboid with trun- Nogueira et al. 2006). It was also found in Papua- cate base, petiolate, petiole 2–3 cm long, slightly New Guinea (Oceania) (Li et al. 2003), Kenya, to moderately winged; upper leaves oblanceolate, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi subsessile or subamplexicaul with auricled base. (Africa) (Nogueira et al. 2006). Outside its native Lamina with entire and slightly scabrous margin, range, P. nepalensis is occasionally introduced acci- revolute, undulate, glabrous on adaxial surface, dentally to other regions. In favorable conditions it pubescent on veins and punctate with yellow readily colonizes, sometimes exhibiting expansive glands on abaxial surface, apex acute (Fig. 2a–c). or even invasive tendencies. Persicaria nepalensis Ochreae tubular, truncate, 5–10 mm long, strigose was introduced accidentally to the Asian part of proximally, brownish. Inflorescences terminal and Turkey (Tan & Baytop 1995) and also to Europe axillary corymbose heads, 6–7 mm in diameter, and both Americas. In Europe it is an established subtended by sessile, subamplexicaul, ovate to anthropophyte in Italy (Pignatti-Wikus 1973, Webb lanceolate leaves (6.5–12.5 × 2.5–5.0 mm), pe- et al. 1993), Great Britain (Stace 2010), Germany duncles 1–20 mm long, erect with glandular hairs (Diekjobst 1994; Brandes 1995; Aboling 2008) and below heads. Ochreolae ovate-lanceolate, acute, most likely also Belgium (Verloove 2013). It has 3–5 × 2 mm. Flowers 2.5–4.0 × 1.0–2.0 mm, been reported from the USA and Canada (Hinds shortly pedicellate. Tepals 4(–5), 2.9–3.5 × 0.6– & Freeman 2005) and Mexico (Vibrans & Hanan- 1.5 mm, obtuse, obovate, usually pink, sometimes Alipi 2008). In South America it has been found white or lavender. Stamens 5(–8), filaments 0.5– in Ecuador (Jørgensen & León-Yánez 1999), Co- 1.5 mm long, anthers black-purple, elliptic, ovary lumbia and Venezuela (Meier 2006). biconvex or trigonous with 2(–3) unequal styles, Persicaria nepalensis prefers mountain slopes stigmas capitate. Fruit (nut) biconvex or trigonous, and river valleys, and is usually found in humid, 1.0–2.0 × 1.0–1.9 mm, dull, shining, densely and partially shaded locations, mainly along muddy, minutely pitted, light or dark brown to black, gravelly and stony banks of mountain streams and T. KOWALCZYK ET AL.: PERSICARIA NEPALENSIS, NEW ANTHROPOPHYTE IN POLISH FLORA 257 A B D C Fig. 2. Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross. A & B – plant’s habit in the field, C – abaxial surface of leaf lamina with glands, D – fruits. along forest edges. Depending on the geographic occurrence in poland location its altitude tolerance ranges from 200 to 4000 m a.s.l. (e.g., Qaiser 2001; Li et al. 2003). The first stand of P. nepalensis was found in Au- Since P. nepalensis is an annual herb exhibiting gust 2011, 2 km east of Baligród in the Western rapid growth, a high reproductive rate and high Bieszczady Mountains. In July 2013 the first stand fertility, it is relatively resistant to disturbances in was confirmed and two more were found. All three its environment. Within its natural range it often stands are located within a few hundred meters of becomes an apophyte, spreading to various human- each other (Fig. 1). Persicaria nepalensis grew on transformed habitats such as forest felling areas, rarely used, partly overgrown forest paths. The fields, gardens, banks of artificial canals, roadsides canopy of the first stand (no. 1 in Fig. 1) is domi- and landfills. nated by Picea abies, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer 258 POLISH BOTANICAL JOURNAL 59(2). 2014 Table 1. Floristic relevés of the studied Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross. habitats. No. of relevé 1 2 3 Location Baligród Baligród Baligród Latitude [N] 49°20ʹ21,1ʺ 49°20ʹ12,2ʺ 49°20ʹ15,7ʺ Longitude [E] 22°19ʹ12,1ʺ 22°19ʹ10,1ʺ 22°19ʹ09,9ʺ Date 9.07.2013 9.07.2013 27.07.2013 Area of relevé [m2] 5 14 25 Plant cover [%] 50 40 95 Slope [°] 10 30 5 Exposition NE S E No. of species 27 33 27 Persicaria nepalensis + 1 4 Achillea millefolium L. + + Agrimonia eupatoria L. + . Agrostis capillaris L. + Agrostis stolonifera L. + . Anthemis arvensis L. + 1 Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth + . Bidens frondosa L. + Callitriche cophocarpa Sendtn. + . Carex remota L. + . Carex sylvatica Huds. + + . Centaurea cyanus L. + Centaurea jacea L. + . Cerastium sp. + . Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. + 1 Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. + Elymus repens (L.) Gould. + 2 Euphorbia serrulata Thuill. + . Galeopsis tetrahit L. + Galinsoga ciliate (Raf.) S. F. Blake . 1 Geranium sp. + . Glechoma hederacea L. + . Glyceria notata Chevall. + + . Hepatica nobilis Schreb. r . Holcus mollis L. + Hypericum humifusum L. + . Hypericum maculatum Crantz . + + Impatiens parviflora DC. 2 + . Juncus effuses L. + + . Juncus tenuis Willd. + . Lapsana communis L. + . Medicago lupulina L. + . Mentha arvensis L. + 1 Millium effusum L. + . Myosotis sylvatica Ehrh. ex Hoffm. + . Oxalis acetosella L. + . Polygonum hydropiper L. 1 + . Polygonum lapathifolium L. + Phleum pretense L. + . T. KOWALCZYK ET AL.: PERSICARIA NEPALENSIS, NEW ANTHROPOPHYTE IN POLISH FLORA 259 Table 1. Continued. No. of relevé 1 2 3 Plantago major L. + 1 . Poa annua L. + . Poa palustris L. + . Prunella vulgaris Huds. + 1 . Ranunculus repens L. 1 + . Raphanus raphanistrum L. + Rumex obtusifolius L. 2 1 . Senecio nemorensis agg. + . Spergula arvensis L. 2 Stachys palustris L.